Condor

Powers and Abilities

The Condor was an Avian — and thus was pretty strong and had powerful birdlike wings.

Howbeit, his strength and durability were definitely beyond the norm for Bird People. It is likely that this is the result of scientific enhancements. His speed, agility and reflexes may also be the result of scientific enhancement rather than simple training.

Science !

The Condor is a gifted scientist and technologist. But he’s not as good as he think he is – he cannot invent groundbreaking technology on his own, duplicate alien super-tech, or work with insufficient resources.

For instance, he could not duplicate the power of the best Avian weapons and had to steal them. He seemed outmatched by the technology deployed by the Bi-Beast. Neither the Condor complete his space shuttle on his own, due to lack of funding.

Still, he should not be underestimated. “Not as good as he thinks he is” is a far cry from “incompetent”. For instance, the Condor had :

• Machines that could precisely analyse the powers of superhumans.
• Brainwashing computers.
• “Petrifying” (paralysing, really) gas.
• A spray that could somehow allow people to operate in space.
• And a working space shuttle, once he stole the systems he couldn’t afford to build.

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History

Although the Condor was long thought human, he was revealed to actually be an Avian. Meaning that he’s a member of the so-called Bird People, and a scientist well-versed in the discoveries of his race.

Since the Bird People were placed in suspended animation in, IIRC, the 1950s, it is likely he went renegade and escaped before that point. He is apparently possessed of inhuman lifespan, and did not seem to age much.

Days of the Condor

His activities during his first decades in the outside world are unrevealed. But they presumably involved science and crime. He built an advanced base in caverns on Long Island, which he called the Aerie (a common name for the flying city of the Bird People).

At some point he learned a great deal about the Sphinx. It is possible they worked together for a bit, but the megalomaniac Condor decided that the Sphinx had to be eliminated as a potential competitor.

The proud Condor was obsessed with finding some way to overcome “the dreaded one”. After that he would “claw his name into the annals of crime” as an independent crimelord. To do so, he started accumulating resources. For instance he lucked out on the amnesiac superhuman Powerhouse, who was floating in the sea amidst wreckage.

The abusive Condor turned the thankful Powerhouse into his servant. The Avian terrorized him so he would not leave the aerie unless he needed him to.

Up in the sky

Learning about the first appearance of the fledgling crimefighter Nova, the Condor tricked him into fighting Powerhouse. Once Powerhouse had drained enough energy, he took him to he Manhattan museum where a relic the Sphinx was after was kept.

However, Nova intervened. Although he was quite ineffective again, his battle with Powerhouse destroyed the mummy case they were after. This infuriated the Condor, who abandoned Powerhouse to be defeated.

Still intending to fight and defeat the Sphinx in the near future, the Condor soon allied with another new local villain — Diamondhead. Together, they busted Powerhouse out of the hospital (where he was kept prisoner with an “absorbaron” power neutralizer). When Nova tried to intervened, he was taken out and captured by the Condor with the help of a petrifying gas pistol.

Using his sophisticated machines, the Condor probed Nova and learned a great deal about him. That included his uplink with an orbiting alien vessel, which even Nova knew nothing about.

Up into space

Deciding to use the resources within this ship to defeat the Sphinx, the Condor brainwashed Nova. Although the procedure was interrupted by Powerhouse briefly rebelling, it was ultimately successful.

As a result, the Condor used Nova to steal critical parts from the Air Force. With those, the criminal scientist could finish his space shuttle and reach the mysterious orbiting ship. Nova started shaking off the mind control when they came back to the aerie, but was again taken down by Powerhouse.

The Condor rebrainwashed Nova, finished his spacecraft, and got them all to the Nova ship. They defeated its defenses and got close to both the armoury and the computer centre. This is the point when Nova recovered his free will. But the Condor and his allies managed to stun Nova and flee, grabbing nearby weapons.

Up against the Sphinx

Losing no time the Condor and his two helpers attacked the headquarters of the Sphinx. They used their energy weapons to great effect against the human troops of the powerful entity. But predictably, they did not far very well when facing the ancient Egyptian superhuman.

Powerhouse got in a few good ones, but he and Diamondhead were overwhelmed. The Condor fought on, but one of the Sphinx’s men snuck behind him and seized one of the Xandarian weapons.

Although he intended to shoot the Sphinx, the henchman instead hit the Condor in the back, destroying his mind. Furious that he could not absorb the Condor’s now-destroyed mentality, the Sphinx used his Ka Stone to turn the Condor into an actual condor, which mindlessly flew away.

Up in the air

As far as can be determined, the Condor remained a simple bird for years. Yet, his mental faculty slowly returned to him. He eventually flew to a small island in North Atlantic. It was where the mutated, sapient  animals called the Ani-Mates lived.

The Ani-Mate Birdbrain sensed that the condor had once been a man. It is also possible that Birdbrain could more or less communicate with the Condor. Birdbrain felt kinship with his fellow bird/sentient. As a result, he used the machines left behind by Doctor Animus, the creator of the Ani-Mates, to turn the Condor back into a man.

Birdbrain succeeded, although the Condor now had a somewhat inhuman, more bird-like form.

Almost immediately, the mutated Condor rushed to America to have his revenge upon Nova… and pretty much everything else. Now even more unstable than before, he ambushed Nova and his girlfriend Laura, and engaged him in a vicious aerial fight. As they fought they broke power lines, one of which whipped around and hit Laura.

Up in arms

Nova started panicking as he realized that Laura’s heart was not beating anymore. But the Condor did CPR  and guided Nova to assist with his resuscitation efforts. They managed to save the young woman. Then Condor proudly flew away, claiming that he was a man after all and would make his decisions as such. Whether his path was to be science, or science and crime, was to be determined.

The Condor was later contacted by the Shadow Consortium. But he did not ally with them. Still, he returned to crime and decided to kill Nova. Hijacking several discarded robots, the Condor briefly tested the might of his old foe, who had recently become much more powerful.

Continuing to spy on him with an old HERBIE unit, the Condor waited until Nova contacted Mister Fantastic to run tests.

When Richards strapped Nova to a special contraption to bring his new powers, the Condor attacked. He knocked Richards out and redlined the machine. This largely depowered Nova. The Condor then fought the Fantastic Four, making a good showing. But the Condor was defeated when Nova, crawling on the floor, tripped him and exposed him to the blast of one of his own weapons.

Up the river

The capture of his kin was remotely witnessed by the Red Raven, himself not very stable. The Raven eventually decided that the Bird People should be the ones doing the punishing.

He and his troops attacked the prison where the Condor was held. But after a brief discussion with Nova, they agreed to leave.

A decade later, in 2008, the Condor was confirmed to still be active (and mutated). He was a patron at a Bar With No Name. By 2009, he was again a prisoner – though his mutation was now less pronounced.

By this point, a sizeable population of maximum risk prisoners had been moved to a new prison facility in… the Negative Zone . This angered the locals, who besieged the prison. The guards were evacuated, leaving the prisoners behind. Condor became one of the tops dogs, along with Jack Flag, Gorilla Man and Bison, as the prisoners sought to survive.

Star-Lord and his Guardians of the Galaxy eventually evacuated the prisoners. Condor and the others refused to trust Star-Lord and Jack Flag, but were overpowered. When they attempted to ally with Blastaar instead, Condor was flattened by Mantis.

Up that hill

The US government was planning to hand him over to the Bird People. But Condor aw actually sent to the Pleasant Hill virtual reality prison. This program was a success, but in 2016 it catastrophically blew up. Several Avengers team and a large contingent of S.H.I.E.L.D. troops did stop most prisoners attempting to flee, though.

Description

His original form is illustrated first, followed by his mutated form.

Personality

The Condor is a huge control freak. He’s full of grandiose ideas about how he should have more power, how his plans are flawless and how everyone should obey him to the letter. He talks like a sophisticated, arrogant megalomaniac – and treats everyone else as imbeciles.

He chafed under the thumb of the Sphinx, of course. His main objective was to find something big enough to defy the Sphinx. Especially if that something could be absorbed by Powerhouse, whom he viewed as one of his greatest assets.

He’s also pretty crafty and manipulative. The Condor can hide his arrogance for a bit — or even feign obedience — if that is necessary to advance his plans.

Other traits

The Condor has a curious inability to grasp how powerful the Sphinx was. He kept believing the Sphinx merely wanted to become emperor of crime, while the Sphinx had the capabilities to become master of the world. The Condor is likely to underestimate anybody more powerful than himself. Probably because he believes there’s nobody he cannot defeat given enough scheming.

The Condor is so certain he’s smarter than everybody else that being defeated is incomprehensibly unfair. How can he fail when he’s so much better than everyone else ? This inability to deal with defeat was slowly eroding his mental state.

After Birdbrain made him a sapient humanoid again, the mutated Condor would randomly emit bird-like noises in his speech. He was also more insane than ever. He hated everything having to do with his past and any reference to it made him aggressive and confused.

He regained his sanity after saving Laura, and eventually managed to rid himself of the bird noises and weird voice, sounding human again.

Quotes

Condor : “There it is – the mummy of Tuckankahn the wizard — and the same mummy *he* wants !”
Powerhouse : “Who is this ’he‘ you keep speaking of, Condor ? And why do you fear him. I thought together we were undefeatable.”
Condor : “By all except *him*. He is a power we must all fear, Powerhouse.”

“Farewell, fool ! These bars were meant to keep others from getting inside the building. But when the Condor wants to leave, nothing gets in his way — nothing ! And now I take leave — to re-think… to retrench ! But one thing I do know for sure — where next the Condor flies — he flies alone !”

“There, Diamondhead — in that hospital sleeps the final member of our alliance. For there lies Powerhouse in the clutches of the police.”

“Away, you witless fools. Away while the Condor swoops for his prize.”

“What ?! Insubordination again ?!”

“An alien computer network ? One more advanced than my own ? You scoffed, Diamondhead. You thought Nova would be useless in our ultimate struggle. Well, my friend — I believe we just may have found the one weapon that even the Sphinx can not defeat !”

“I said KILL him, you miserable little cretin ! Didn’t you hear your master’s orders ? Slay Nova – NOW !”

“Done away with ? Because I stand in the way of your becoming master crimelord ? No, Sphinx — I’m afraid *you* must be gotten rid of. Only *I* can become emperor of crime !”

(After his mutation): “Surprised, Nova ? Of all the foes — chik chik — you ever thought you would encounter again — skrk skrk — never in your worst nightmares — chik — did you think you would face the furious wrath — skk — of… the CONDOR ?!”

(After his mutation): “I am a bird of prey, Nova ! I am a scavenger — chikk — picking at the bones of my former life — tearing away at the raw flesh of those who have what I no longer possess — humanity !”

“So, he is going to see Reed Richards. This may present itself as a fine opportunity for the Condor to be rid of that irritating young upstart.”

(To Reed Richards): “You arrogant snob. I am your intellectual superior. If not for the fates conspiring against me, the world would know that as well ! It’s not fair !”

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Marvel Universe (various Nova series).

Helper(s): Roy Cowan, Gareth Lewis, Pufnstuff. M&M stats by Pawsplay.